One-Armed Man’s Knife

Popular after the Civil War and beyond; a dinner knife with a curved blade sharpened on the outside edge and ending in fork tines, for one-hand eating. Usually a fixed-blade but switchblade versions were produced. Newer knives having blades with a semi-circular cut-out at the tip (such as many straight razors do) are said to be designed to be opened one-handed by hooking the hollow on a pants pocket. That might work, but they are not one-armed man’s knives.